Tag Archives: haiku walk

Snake Weather has stretched its full length… it was a wonderful experience working with such a diversity of voices and watching how each poet shifted the energy of the poem. It is a renga that I feel deserves repeated reads, so I have included the links to parts i, ii and iii here so that you can take it all in. There is much to enjoy!

As I post this, Snake Weather is crawling off on its final leg… so for now, please enjoy this third phase of the renga written by David Stavanger, Andy Smerdon, Cindy Keong, Graham Nunn, Chris Lynch, Trish Reid, John Wainwright, Helen Ross and Andrew Phillips.

The summer ginko group have now reached the half-way mark of their ginko. Here’s links 10-18 written by / between: David Stavanger, Andy Smerdon, Cindy Keong, Katherine Battersby, Chris Lynch, Trish Reid, John Wainwright, Helen Ross, Andrew Phillips for you to enjoy.

Our recent ginko through Karawatha Forest has spun off into a summer ginko. The group have been sparking off each other, resulting in some really exciting leaps. Here’s the first quarter of Snake Weather, written by / between: David Stavanger, Andy Smerdon, Cindy Keong, Katherine Battersby, Chris Lynch, Trish Reid, John Wainwright, Helen Ross, Andrew Phillips.

Yesterday, I had the absolute pleasure of hosting a ginko (haiku walk) through Karawatha State Forest. Ten of us gathered to revel in the beauty of the summer morning that awaited us and of course, share in the wonder of haiku. So after a pot or two of authentic Japanese green tea (thanks Andrew) and recitations of some of the groups favourite summer haiku, we all set off to walk, and importantly, find a place to be still, to become one with the surroundings.

After an hour and a half of walking, contemplating and sketching from the senses, we gathered again and shared our experience… and some fine haiku were composed as a result. I am excited to share a selection of the group’s poems, along with some photographs by Cindy Keong.

***

lizard
in a shadow
the kookaburra misses

Helen Ross

*

crossroad
i want to go both ways
again

Trish Reid

*

Cindy Keong

*

heavy sun
crow pleads
with the rusted tap

Katherine Battersby

*

cicadas suddenly silent, all the burnt gum trees

Chris Lynch

*

after the storm
one root of the grey gum
my broken toe

Andrew Phillips

*

Cindy Keong

*

flashing sunlight at my eyes butterfly

John Wainwright

*

stubbing my toe
I mimic the crow’s call

Cindy Keong

*

Cindy Keong

*

under a black wing
ants feast
the sky moves on

Andy Smerdon

*

snake weather
he kisses his teenage daughter
on the mouth

David Stavanger

***

The group will now compose a renga, leading off with David’s ‘snake weather’, which was voted the most resonant poem by the group on the day… Am looking forward to sharing that with you in the coming weeks.

Here’s the third and final installment of the Mission Beach Tour Diary, a selection of my own haiku from the ginko. I hope these continue to create a picture of just how magnificent and tranquil Mission Beach is…

As you saw in the last post, the weather for our Saturday afternoon beach ginko was glorious. Really, in the vastness of the sky there was not the hint of a cloud… So here’s are a selection of haiku composed by the ginko participants as they walked, sat and contemplated deeply the true beauty of their surrounds. I have also included a few photos taken by my lovely wife to capture the action of the dig. I would like to thank each of the participants for their openness. It was a thrill to work with you all and I hope we can do it again one day soon.